


As Much Alan as Alanna

by superqueerdanvers



Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Gen, Genderfluid Character, Post-Canon, Trans Character, genderfluid alanna, trans author
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:07:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22282363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superqueerdanvers/pseuds/superqueerdanvers
Summary: Kel asks Alanna why she kept "Sir" as her title, instead of trying to switch to "Lady Knight."
Relationships: Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau & Keladry of Mindelan
Comments: 12
Kudos: 96





	As Much Alan as Alanna

The Midwinter banquet had ended hours ago, but Kel and Alanna were still talking. About life, about Alanna’s work as King’s Champion, about Kel’s new post as training master, about their experiences as pages and squires. Suddenly, a question occurred to Kel. “Why do you still use Sir?”  
“Hm?”  
“Your title. I know you were knighted before people knew you were a girl, but why keep your title ‘Sir’ instead of changing to ‘Lady Knight’ once people knew? Surely King Jonathon would have let you.”  
Alanna paused, thinking. “I guess I like it. I’ve never really felt like a woman – not completely, anyway. I used to think I just didn’t want to be a lady, or that it was because I’d been dressing as a boy for so long. But now… I think it’s just who I am. Sometimes I feel I’m a woman, and sometimes I feel I’m a man. And sometimes I’m neither. Do you ever feel that way?”  
Kel shook her head. Alanna shrugged. “Thayet and Buri don’t either. There are plenty of women warriors who are still fully women, but… that’s not me. I'm as much Alan as Alanna. George tells me stories about the trickster god Kyprioth, about how he changes gender and how sometimes he blesses mortals to be like him. It’s nice to know I’m not alone, although I could do with fewer gods meddling in my life.”  
Kel grinned. “As could we all.”  
Alanna chuckled. “Finally, a knight with sense! I knew there was a reason I liked you.”


End file.
